A New Start For Winter
by Freedom of the Eagle
Summary: Winter has been by herself for a few months. When Sawyer and Hazel are playing by the beach, they find a male dolphin, tangled up in ropes, they take him to the hospital, the ropes are removed and new things happen after Winter meets him. What will be in store for our favorite dolphin? More OC's will come in later chapters!
1. Chapter 1

A New Start For Winter Chapter 1: The New Dolphin

* * *

It was summer vacation for two teenagers. Sawyer Nelson and his friend Hazel Haskett were walking along the beach. It was the summer before 8th grade and the two of them decided to take a break from the Clearwater Marine Hospital

"Nice day isn't it Hazel?" Sawyer asked her

"You bet!" They ran to the waters edge and Hazel splashed Sawyer with seawater, starting a water war, eventually, a couple of ten-year-olds eagerly joined. As Hazel splashed water at a ten-year-old boy, while they were distracted, Sawyer went into deeper water and dunked himself in, he pulled his goggles that had been hanging around his neck on and looked under. A few small fish swam away from him, he settled his feet in the sand and he felt a rope underneath his toes

"?" He pulled it up, but it felt like it was attached to something, he looked ahead, and there was a bulky figure in the water ahead of him. He swam towards it in chest high water and almost gasped at what he saw. A dolphin, it's front pectoral fins were tangled up in the rope. It was squealing frantically, it had it's tail free, thank goodness, but it couldn't move it's pectoral fins. Sawyer tried to pull them apart, then he saw that the fins were bleeding, if they didn't get the dolphin out the water soon, it would become shark food

"HAZEL!" He called, his friend looked up and ran to the dolphin.

"Oh man…I'm going to call my dad." Sawyer nodded and said

"I…I think it's a male." They looked at him and Hazel ran back to shore, running to grab Sawyer's cell phone, dialed the number, and waited for her dad to pick up. While she was busy with the phone, a small crowd gathered around the water and ignoring the crowd, Sawyer tried to pull the ropes off, but they were too tightly wrapped

"Hey, we'll get you out of this, I promise." The dolphin trilled and with it's beak, nudged him in the chest.

* * *

A few minutes later, the truck appeared and the team came out. Phoebe said it defiantly was a male, just slightly older than Winter. Clay Haskett said

"Good job you two. Now, let's get this big guy to the hospital and get these ropes removed."

When they got back to the hospital, they removed the ropes and sewed up the wounds, Clay said

"Good thing we got him out of there at a good timing, if we weren't there sooner, he would've been eaten by a shark most likely."

"What should we name him?" Hazel asked, Sawyer looked at her, with a smile on his face

"How about Jasper?" Clay and Hazel looked at each other and Clay said

"Good name. Alrightly Jasper, we'll out him in the tank next to Winter's."

"I hope she likes him when they are introduced."

"Yep, we hope."

* * *

That evening, Sawyer biked home and found his mother Lorraine cooking dinner and his cousin Kyle sat watching TV

"Hey guys." Sawyer greeted

"Hello Sawyer, how was your day?" His mother asked

"Good, Hazel and I were at the beach and we found a dolphin strangled by ropes."

"Is it alright?"

"Yeah, _he's_ doing great."

"_He_?"

"Yeah, it's a male." Kyle raised an eyebrow

"Wonder how Winter's going to react to her new friend."

"I can't wait to meet this new dolphin. What did you name him?"

"Jasper."

"I think Winter will like him."

"Yeah, me too."

* * *

_Back at the Hospital_

Hazel looked at Winter and fed her

"You're going to like Jasper, I'm sure of it." After feeding Winter, Hazel fed Jasper and bid him goodnight. The only sounds that filled the hospital, were the trills and soft whistles of two dolphins.

* * *

**There's the first chapter! Will Winter like Jasper when she meets for the first time? We'll find out in the next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

A New Start For Winter Chapter 2: Removing the Ropes

* * *

Bright and early the next morning, Sawyer hopped on his bike and pedaled over to the hospital. Hazel had texted him last night saying that the staff had planned to remove the ropes and introduce Jasper to Winter. After hearing that, Sawyer said he'd be there, so now, he stopped at the entrance and had just barely gotten to the door when a squawk stopped him. He looked up, and sure enough, Rufus the pelican stood on a ledge looking down at him with beady eyes. Sawyer snapped

"What are _you_ lookin' at?" The bird squawked again and flew over to the docks. Sawyer rolled his eyes and went inside.

Sawyer's knapsack bounced on his back as he headed upstairs.

When he got upstairs, Hazel was the first one to greet him and she grabbed his wrist and pulled him over to the pool where Winter once stayed

"Okay, so they're gonna remove the ropes right?"

"Yep, we had him wait overnight so he could relax, I only hope this goes well." Sawyer nodded in agreement. Clay hopped into the pool with a pair of scissors and began to cut away at the ropes, amazingly, Jasper didn't even struggle.

After about nearly an hour, the ropes were finally removed and Sawyer picked up one and looked at it in amazement, it was pretty heavy, he almost had a good idea what these might have once been a part of, but he couldn't help but ask Clay for his opinion

"What do you think _these _came from?"

"A large fishing net is my best guess." Clay replied, he grabbed a towel and dried his hair and added, "All what's got to be done now is sew up those wounds."

"They're gonna scar right dad?"

"Indeed they will Hazel. But I don't think he'll notice them after a period of time, I also hope things go well when we introduce him to Winter." Even as he said this, Winter trilled from her pool behind them

"She knows he's here." Sawyer whispered to Hazel and she giggled.

After the wounds were sewn up, Sawyer and hazel went to the docks and began to read _Big Nate _books and eat two of Hazel's lemonade icicles. The summer sun was baking Florida at the moment, but it was a good day to relax, but Sawyer secretly confessed to himself that he was rather nervous about Jasper and Winter meeting each other. When he told Hazel this, she just laughed

"Stop worrying Sawyer! I'm sure everything will be fine!"

After another hour, Clay called the kids in and they watched as Phoebe opened the door that connected the two pools and Jasper swam in. Hazel secretly crossed her fingers behind her back. Jasper went up to Winter and nudged her side. Nothing at first, Winter turned around to look at him and she began to nose his tail. Strange. Clay thought, finally Winter gave a loud, high-pitched trill that caused everyone to plug their ears, but when she stopped, Jasper and Winter were swimming in peace.

Hazel struggled not to squeal for joy, but she was too happy, instead, she and Sawyer high-fived

"Yes!" They both cried.

Now everything was going to work out, and Clay said Jasper could stay, since Winter needed a companion in her tank ever since Panama died of old age two months ago. It was all going to work out.

* * *

**Short chapter, but Jasper has finally met Winter, what will happen for these two dolphins later on? Find out in the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

A New Start For Winter: Winter's P.O.V

* * *

At first, I was just a bit uncomfortable with the new dolphin here, but I eventually got used to him. He was really nice and we became fast friends. The first night he stayed in the pool with me, we had a small conversation

"_What's your name?_" He asked me

"_Winter,_" I answered, "_Yours?_"

"_Jasper._"

"_You like Sawyer and Hazel so far?_"

"_Yeah, nice kids. Did they rescue you too?_"

"_Mmhmm, a fisherman found me first, then Sawyer cut me loose from a crab trap that had cut off circulation to my tail, then Hazel, her father and Phoebe brought me here, and I've stayed here ever since, for a little more than two years now. The staff here are very nice, I think you'll like them._"

"_Me too._" I sighed, Jasper seemed really sweet, I asked him what he remembered from being out in the wild

"_What do you remember from the open water?_"

"_Lot's of things. I was born off the coast of Virginia Beach, much farther north from here, and for the first several months of my life we lived in and around the Chesapeake Bay, then when I was about two years old, we moved down here, we've lived around Clearwater ever since. My father was the pod leader, I had one brother named Felix but he left when I was six months old. Before I got here, my mother gave birth to my sister Felicity. What about you?_" I was taken slightly aback, I thought to myself to think what I could remember

"_Well, not a whole lot, I've lived around Clearwater and Miami Beach my whole life. I lived in a small pod of about 10 or 11. When I was one month old, my mother and I moved to another pod after we strayed and we found a much bigger pod and we were much safer. Then, when I was about a year old and when I was strong enough, we moved to Clearwater and that's where I lived before I got caught in the crab trap. And unfortunately for me, the staff still have that very crab trap, but thankfully, they never show it to me. That's about as much as I can remember._" Jasper looked quite amazed,

"_Wow._" I heard Clay and Dr. McCarthy, the one who gave me my new tail walk past the pool

"Jasper's doing great. Hopefully, we'll be able to set free Garret in about three days. Thank goodness his spine isn't more fractured than it was when we found him."

"I have to agree Clay, like Jasper, if he wasn't found sooner, he would've most likely been eaten or died from being stranded. Glad I could help him."

"We greatly appreciate it." The two of them walked away and a door closing could be heard

"_Who's Garret?_"

"_Another male dolphin. He was found on a beach with a fractured spine, the staff was afraid he would be paralyzed from the fracture and down. You know what that means right?_"

"_He would never swim again?_"

"_Yeah, he's nice, but he can have a short temper sometimes._"

"_Wow._"

"_Yeah, although I will never be able to go into the wild, I'm happy for him, that he gets to go back. But here, it feels quite natural, but I wonder how my mother is doing._" Jasper sighed and we heard a small tap on the window below. A small child, no older than five was watching us, I could almost hear her say

"Mama, look, there she is. She has a new friend too." I went down to look at her, she had no prosthesis on, but she was in a wheelchair

"_Poor girl, I wonder what happened to her._" I said to Jasper, he didn't say anything and I bumped the glass lightly in front of her and she put a small hand up. A moment later, I heard Sawyer

"Winter? Jasper? Come on up guys." Likewise, we swam up and Sawyer gave us some fish, "Tired?" I bobbed my head in reply, he reached out his hand and gently rubbed my head, "Well, gotta head home, I'll see you guys bright and early tomorrow okay?" He didn't wait for an answer, he just took off and left

"_Teenagers._" I heard Jasper say

"_What? Like you've never dealt with him like that before?_" I swam underneath him and gently bumped his side, "_'Cause I have. Just watch and learn tomorrow._"

"_Um…okay._" I burst out laughing. He was going to have some fun tomorrow for sure…

* * *

**Two chapters in one day! I'm feeling generous, anyways, hope you like this. And for Flaming Crow, here is a chapter all in Winter's P.O.V!**


	4. Chapter 4

A New Start For Winter Chapter 4: Garret Goes Home

* * *

About three days after Winter and Jasper had their first direct conversation, Garret, another male dolphin who had a fracture in his spine was going to be set free.

Sawyer held a video camera with Hazel at his side as the staff carried the blue plastic stretcher to the water. A tracker had been put in Garret's skin so they could make sure he didn't hurt his spine more. Phoebe and the other staff members set the stretcher in the water and made sure Garret was in the water. Garret began to move his tail up and down slowly and got the feel again, the staff carefully and slowly dragged the stretcher out form underneath him, Garret moved his tail up and down and began to propel himself forward and swam ahead. Hazel peered ahead of him and said

"Everyone! Look!" Sure enough, a pod of dolphins breached and Garret swam towards them, "Think that might be his family?" Hazel asked Sawyer

"Heaven only knows Hazel, heaven only knows." Hazel shrugged and waved goodbye to Garret.

Sawyer and Hazel went back to the hospital and hung around Winter and Jasper's pool for a while. Winter swam up to Sawyer and they began to play with the old duck toy. Hazel gently tossed it into the pool and Jasper dove down to get it, he brought it back up for her and Sawyer did likewise with Winter. They did this multiple times before Clay called them in, they raced into the meeting room where Kyle, and the newswoman Sandra were, they had been married for about two years and Sandra had a very happy look on her face

"What's going on?" Hazel asked

"We have wonderful news guys." Kyle answered

"What is it?"

"We're expecting our first baby!" Hazel gasped, Lorraine asked Sandra

"How far are you along?"

"About two and half months. I'll be three in two weeks."

"That's awesome! I hope it's girl!" Kyle thought, _Oh boy, here we go again_

"I think we'll keep it a surprise until he or she is born, how about that?"

That evening, a little 'magic' struck the hospital, more than Kyle or Sandra's baby coming. Something…a little more special.

* * *

**Short chapter, and a cliffhanger, can anyone guess what happened? Besides Kyle and Sandra becoming parents?**


	5. Chapter 5

A New Start For Winter Chapter 5: It's All Revealed

* * *

Some time after Sandra and Kyle announced about the baby, apparently, Winter and Jasper had a few things going on for them too. One morning, when Sawyer went to feed them, Winter refused, while Jasper happily ate the fish he was given, at first, Sawyer thought nothing much, thinking she just wasn't hungry, but this pattern continued, plus, she wasn't interested in the duck toy as much as she used to.

After a while, Sawyer eventually got annoyed enough that he reported everything to Clay, who took the situation as serious. Sawyer began to notice that Winter was sometimes pushy around Jasper too.

Eventually, the staff had enough, they did multiple tests on Winter, it wasn't her tail, and she wasn't sick either. So what was wrong with Winter?

* * *

Hazel one evening was playing with Winter in the 80,000 gallon pool again, the female dolphin had been placed there so that the staff could monitor her more closely and see what was going on. Hazel leaned her arms on the edge and watched as Winter swam slowly around the side of the pool

"Winter, if only you could talk, you could tell us what's wrong, so we could help you." Winter lifted her head up and trilled lightly, she swam up to Hazel and Hazel gently petted her head. Hazel walked away, but just as she did, Winter went upside down, showing her belly, this caught Hazel's attention

"Winter? What are you doing?" Winter flipped right-side up again and trilled, calling Hazel back to the pool, again, Winter flipped herself upside down so her belly was facing Hazel

"You want me to rub your belly? You're not a dog Winter." But something was telling her to do it, and so she did. At first, she felt the wet-rubber feel underneath her hand, but as she passed her hand over another part of Winter's belly, she swore she felt something move, no it was not Winter…but…

"Holy cow! Winter! I can't believe it! I gotta tell dad! This is so exciting!"

Hazel ran inside where her dad, Sawyer and his family and Dr. McCarthy were, Hazel ran downstairs and stopped when everyone looked at her

"Hazel? What's wrong?" Hazel was unable to contain her excitement

"It's Winter! She's not sick after all! In fact, it's something a whole lot better, come on up!" Dr. McCarthy looked at Sawyer who just shrugged

"Better do what she says."

So, with Hazel's advice, everyone went upstairs to the pool, behind them Jasper squealed, like he knew a secret

"Dad, I'm gonna ask you to get the heart monitor."

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

"Okay, okay." As he went to go get the machine, Sawyer asked Hazel

"Okay Hazel, what's the big idea?!"

"Winter? Come over here girl." The dolphin swam up, and with Hazel's instruction, flipped over so that her belly was facing Sawyer, Hazel directed where he should place his hand, and he did so, after a few seconds. He fell back on his butt in shock

"But…I, wha? How? JASPER!" Hazel almost couldn't contain her excitement, and seconds later, Clay came up with the heart monitor and placed the wires around Winter's heart. The screen flipped white, then thin red lines showed Winter's heart beating smoothly, but then, a double-beat came up

"Huh? Is she okay?" Kyle asked

"No, it's either she has two hearts…or…she's having a baby."

"Second part's true dad." Everyone's eyes almost popped out of their heads, Lorraine was shocked, and Alexander( a friend of Sawyer's) was truly amazed, he commented

"The little dolphin who lost her tail those years ago is going to be a mom? Clay, how far is she?"

"Based on this…I think she's about, two months, she's got ten more months to go." Hazel and Sawyer hugged. They were amazed because they never thought this would happen, but at the same time, they were thrilled.

* * *

**You guys have no clue how giddy I felt writing that whole chapter. If that actually happened to Winter...wow, that would be really something. Anyways, this chapter happens about two months exactly after Kyle and Sandra announce their own baby. I will be noting how far Winter is along, (and Sandra, if you'd like) as each chapter progresses. See you in the next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6

A New Start for Winter Chapter 6: Life Goes On

* * *

**2 ½ months (Winter)**

**5 months (Sandra)**

* * *

With all the new baby stuff going on surrounding Sawyer and Hazel, things were a little crazy, but Winter was making excellent progress so far, and as was Sandra.

Sawyer knew he had to limit a few things when it came to playing with Winter, but not the duck toy, she still loved it, as did her now-proclaimed mate, Jasper, a male dolphin just a little older than Winter who came in with torn pectoral fins. Sawyer still couldn't believe that this was actually happening to Winter, but it was usually Hazel who had to snap him back into his senses.

Winter's P.O.V

I was already 2 ½ months into my pregnancy. It did feel a bit awkward in this state, but it wasn't too bad. But Sawyer and Hazel go back to school soon and they won't have as much time for the hospital as much. I personally don't mind the staff, as they don't bother me, but I always prefer Sawyer and Hazel.

Jasper cannot wait for the baby to come, including Sandra's. Sawyer and Hazel told me that she was also expecting a baby with Sawyer's cousin Kyle, a war veteran. Sandra's pregnancy is just three months shorter than mine, because for anyone who doesn't know, pregnancy for dolphins lasts about a year, and once the baby comes, more and more visitors will be streaming ito the hospital just the see him or her, in fact, I'm still trying to decide if I want a boy or a girl. Personally, it really doesn't matter to me, but I think Sawyer might have something in mind, but I never ask Jasper what gender he wants.

Normal P.O.V

School would start soon, and that meant more homework, as they were going into high school, a whole new experience, and a heck of a lot more homework (I'm not in high school), and they wouldn't really get to spend as much time with the animals, unless during the weekends.

During the summer, Hazel and Sawyer had been busy keeping the hospital clean and worked half shifts during hospital hours, it was a long summer, but it had all been worth it, and boy were they glad they didn't give up the hospital over two years ago, that had really given them a scare, and Winter had told Jasper that story once, and once was enough.

But at least life was normal for everyone.

* * *

**Short chappie I know, couldn't think of anything else to write, i'm sort of having a small case of writers block, but it'll go away soon. So here ya go!**


	7. Chapter 7

A New Start For Winter Chapter 7: Only A Few More Months

**Winter: 7 months**

* * *

Winter was now seven months and visitors were flocking to the hospital just to see her and Jasper. The only time Sawyer and Hazel had to visit the dolphins was after the hospital closed. In addition, school was nearly over and both of them were eager to spend the summer with Winter and Jasper.

"Well, by the middle of the summer, we'll have a new arrival."

"Yeah, I know, it's so exciting!"

"What gender do you hope it to be?"

"I don't know, it's so hard to decide, but I think a boy would be great."

"I think so too. And as for Sandra, we already know it's going to be a girl anyway, so I think a boy is perfect."

"Yeah, if it is a boy, what should the name be?"

"Not sure. There are different names. Since Winter became pregnant last August, I was thinking, July or something."

"Well, isn't Winter due this August?"

"Yeah, I think so, man, I hope she doesn't have the baby premature."  
"That would be scary. But I do like the name July, doesn't matter if the baby comes in August."

While Sawyer and Hazel talked about names, Winter and Jasper seemed to have their own state of mind of what the baby's gender should be.

Winter's P.O.V

_Boy or girl?_

_Defiantly boy._

_Yeah, I think a boy would be nice. I heard Sandra's having a girl._

_Is she? Well then, a boy and a girl in the same year. This ought to be an interesting year._

_I agree. Can't believe Sawyer and Hazel are nearly done with their first year of high school._

_Yeah, kids grow up fast these days don't they?_

_Where'd you get that?_

_When I was much younger, when one of our pod members left, my mother had said the exact same thing._

One day, shortly after school was over for the day, Sawyer was out alone on the beach, kicking sand around when he heard the familiar chorus of whistles and squeaks out in the distance in the water

"Huh?" He shaded his eyes and looked out on the horizon, sure enough, and entire pod of dolphins started leaping in and out of the water, having his stressed nerves from school relaxed, Sawyer settled down on the sand and enjoyed the scene way ahead of him.

During his time in the hospital and learning about dolphins, he learned more about their different whistles, squeaks and other sounds they made, during labor, when they were injured, that kind of thing, and he memorized it all. One dolphin out there began to make a strange cry, at first, Sawyer couldn't tell whether the dolphin was hurt, or sick, or something else, but when he listened closer, he realized the dolphin was female and she was in labor

"Will Winter sound like that in a few months?" Sawyer asked himself, the labor must've been pretty painful because he could hear the cries from where he was standing, and the pod must've been a couple hundred feet out into the water.

Finally, after a few long minutes, the cries stopped and Sawyer could barely see a tiny figure rise to the surface and then disappear. After hearing the entire thing, Sawyer was beginning to become concerned for what would happen to Winter in her time of labor. He wasn't sure who were scared the most; the expectant parents, the hospital staff, or Sawyer and Hazel themselves.

Well, Sawyer had no need to worry now, Winter wouldn't go into labor for another few months and Sawyer doubted an early birth, either way, these next few months would be very critical for Winter and her baby.

* * *

**Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


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